Vapor-burner.



PATBNTBDMAi. 10, 1903.

j No. 722,430. I

VAPOR BURNER. 5

L L E H G T I M W VAPOR BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 19, 1900.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2.

N0 MODEL.

llllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS MITCHELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VAPOR-BU RN ER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart'of Letters Patent No. 722,430, dated March 10,1903. Original application filed October 3, 1900, Serial No. 31,810.Divided and this application filed December 19, 1900. Serial No. 40,362.v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in thecounty of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor-Burners, (adivision of application Serial No. 31,810;) and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same. I

This invention relates to vapor-burning heaters especially adapted to bemounted on and move with a smoothing-iron, although available for usewith other articles, implements, utensils, and structures, movable andimmovable. y 1

The said invention has for its principal objects to improve the devicesfor regulating the supply of vaporous fuel to the burner, to facilitatethe insertion and removal of the burner and parts attached ,thereto,while securing strength and rigidity in the same and in the mountingthereof, to protect and generally to increase the simplicity,compactness, efficiency, strength, and cheapness of the vapor-burningheater and the article to which it is applied.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combinationof the several parts of the vapor supplying and-burning de-' viceshereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying specification and drawings I have described andshown thesaid devices as applied to asmoothing-iron in accordance to therules which require illustration of some one useful embodiment of aninvention; but I do not claim the construction of the smoothing-iron northe combination of any of its parts with each other or with a burnerespecially adapted thereto, the same being in part the subject-matter ofmy application, Serial No. 31,810, filed October 3, 1900, of which thisis a division.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical centrallongitudinal section of a self-feeding vapor-heated smoothing-ironprovided with vapor-burning heating devices. Fig. 2 represents atransverse section of the same on the line or a; of Fig. 1.

'der' engages.

(No model.)

Fig. 3 represents a detail view of the burnercylinder and jet-block,partly broken away to more clearly exhibit the latter and showing thethree rows of perforations. Fig. i represents a detail plan view of theliquidreservoir, the air-chamber being removed. Fig. 5 represents abottom view of the airpump and the shell of the said chamber. Fig. 6represents a detail view of the lever which operates the regulatingneedle-valve. Fig. 7 represents an external perspective detail view ofthe cylinder to which said lever is clamped, the wall of the same beingpartly broken away to show the internal pin. Fig. 8 represents a detailview of the valve-pin, its head, and collar. Fig. 9 represents a detailView of the spirally-grooved fixed sleeve with which the said internalpin of the cylin- Fig'. 10 represents a detail view of the jet-block.Fig. 11 represents a vertical cross-section through the lower part ofFig. 2 on the line X X.

A designates the smoothing-iron handle, which is wooden and of ordinaryform, having the upward ends of U -shaped handle-support B set intorecesses a of its ends and fas-- tened by screws a. A larger screwB'passes through the bottom of the said support at the middle thereof,engaging with a screw-tapped boss 0 on the top of the upper shell 0 ofthe smoothing-iron body. An annular rib 0 also raised on the said shelland concentric -with said boss, but at a considerable radial distancefrom the latter, affords a sufficient base for the said support,lessening the oblique strain" on screw B during ironing. The broadannular air-space 0 between said support and said shell surrounding saidboss and surrounded by said rib greatly reduces the amount of heatconducted to the said support as compared with contact at all points ofthe'bottom of said support. The latter is broad enough to screen theoperators hand from radiant heat. The said shell has the usualsmoothing-iron outline, and its edge rests at all points on a flatshoulder D of the base or bottom D, to which it is fastened by screws Dpassing through registerthe same. The latter holes are threaded toengage the said screws, which thus provide for detachability' of the twoparts of the iron body, though holding them firmly together.

The hollow shell 0 and base B are of cast metal, which is thicker at thebroad end of the former than elsewhere and provided in the middle of thesaid end with a circular opening 0 to receive a cylinder or sleeve E, inwhich is fitted the open outer end of a metallic burner F, having threelongitudinal parallel rows of small holes fin its under side and thegeneral shape of an elongated glove finger. The upper face of the bottompart or base D is provided at D with an elongated depression of similarshape arranged to present the surface of the metal at one-half inch fromthe said burner. The jets of flame issuing from the three series ofholes) converge in this hollow, as indicated by the arrows, the peculiarrelative shape and arrangement of the parts described'insuring anintense and highly efiective heating action on the said base. Ajet-block G is fitted into the outer end of the said cylinder or sleeveE and held against the outer end of the said burner by a ring G insertedin said cylinder after it. The said sleeve-burner and jet-block beingthen practicallya single piece are then passed into the iron, thecylinder being hardsoldered thereto in said opening C or made fast inany other reliable way. The jetblock, as usual, has air-holes 9 throughit and a rearwardly-extending stem G, which is externallyscrew-threaded, and has an internal longitudinal bore forming a jet-holeg. A branch passage g leads through the side of the said stem andreceives in its outer end the gasolene-supply pipe H. A packing-box I,having a central bore in line with that of said stem, screws on thelatter and is provided with packing i. It has also an external groove orthread I, winding helically in direction opposite to that of itsinternal screwthread. A loose cylinder or long adjustingcap J is setover this sleeve and provided with an internal pin j, which enters'thegroove I. A needle-valve K extends through the registering bores of thesaid grooved sleeve and jetblock to the jet-hole of the latter. Its headis is detachably, but securely, held in the head of cylinder or cap J bya keyhole-slot J therein, there being a fixed collar on the rod of thesaid valve at a distance from the said valve-head equal to the thicknessof the said cylinder-head in order that the movement of the saidcylinder in either longitudinal direction maytake the said valve withit. The fit of the said collar and valve-head against the saidcylinder-head is, however, loose enough to permit the cylinder to turnwithout turning the valve. Asplit ring Z is slipped upon the saidcylinder and clamped by a screw Z, thus fastening detachably, butfirmly, on said sleeve the operating-lever M, which is integral with thesaid ring and provided with a convenient grasping-knob m. A lug or pinN, projecting from the proximate end of the shell 0, constitutes a stopfor the travel of the said lever and sleeve in a rotary path ineitherdirection. The screwing of the grooved sleeve on the jet-blockstem is so tight that the action ofthe pin jon the wall of groove I willnot loosen it, and the helical form of the groove will of course compelthe cylinder and valve to move outward or inward, according to thedirection of motion of the said lever, thus opening or closingthejet-hole either wholly or to the extent desired.

The supply-pipe H before mentioned extends back within the shell 0nearly to the forward end thereof, then back again nearly to the front,and up through the top of the same into and through one arm of abifurcated bent standard O,following a longitudinal passage of the sameto a filtering-pocket p in the bottom of a globular gasolene-reservoirP. The connection between the said bifurcated standard and the saidreservoir is made by a metallic coupling P, which constitutes a part ofthe bottom of the latter and screws upon a screw-threadedupwardly-extending neck 0 of the former. The said pocket is formed inthe said coupling and contains ordinary filtering material p. The saidstandard is bent out laterally to avoid the handle A and afiord room forgrasping the same, then inwardly to bring the center of gravity ofreservoir P over the axis of said handle and the center of the iron bodybelow. The top of the said reservoir is provided with a concavity 0 atthe bottom of which is an opening with a beveled and curved edge 0,which receives the suspending-flange q, of similar shape and surface, atthe upper end of a tubular in-.

ternally screwthreaded coupling-block Q, extending down into the saidreservoir. .The top of this coupling-block is provided with an annulargroove q, having a raised annular ridge q in-its middle. The bore ofthis block receives a correspondingly screw threaded tubular stein T ofa base-block V for an airpump and air-chamber. An air-outlet valve R,pressed upward by a spring R, works up and down in the said tubularstem, its rod 0 working through a central hole 1 in a block or nut 'r,fitted into the lower end of the said stem V. There is space for thepassage of air around the said rod into the said oil-reservoir when thesaid valve is in its highest position; but additional holes may beprovided in said block for this purpose.

The block V has at its bottom a lateral annular shoulder V on which thelower edges of the pump-cylinder S and, the surrounding approximatelyglobular air-receptacle U are fitted. It is also provided with avertical tapering air-outlet passage 8 from said cylinder and with anoblique straight cylindrical airpassage 1) from the air-receptacle orair-chamber U to the interior of the tubular stem V. A piston-rod S,extending up through the head S of the said cylinder, isconnected to apiston S therein and reciprocates the same,

IIO

being provided with knob or handle S for the convenience of such action.Packing S is provided for the hollow lower face of the said piston. Thecylinder-head S has an annular flange 25 at its periphery, extendingdownward to fit on a circumferential enlargement i of the upper end ofthe said cylinder.

The bottom of base-block V has an annular ridge x, which rests upon theridge (1 aforesaid when the two blocks Q and V are screwed together. Aring W, of fibrous packing, is fitted into groove q, and these tworidges bite into it from opposite sides, making a tight joint.Theconcavity Q allows the air-chamber to be set lower and may beprovided with packing, so that the coupling will be braced againstworking loose by lateral motion.

The operation is as follows: The air-pump piston is reciprocated,forcing the air into the gasoleue-reservoir through the said holes andaround the stem of the outlet-valve R, which it opens also into theair-chamber. The liquid gasolene is forced out through the filter andgasolene pipe H to the jet-block and (the needle-valve being adjusted toopen the jethole) flows into the burner, escaping as vapor through theholes in the bottom of the latter into the interior of thesmoothing-iron. Owing to the volatile nature of gasolene a certainamount of vapor will always follow the path indicated in advance of theliquid. This is ignited through the air-holes C in the upper part ofshell 0, and the flame is com m unicated at once to the holes f of theburner. The heat thus produced vaporizes the gasolene in the bent partof pipe H, which is, in effect, a generator, within the said body andsupplies a continual flow of vapor to the jet-block and burner. As thebase and the shell fitted thereon are heated, the radiation from everyside raises the temperature of the said generator to such a degree thatfar more vapor is generated than the burner can consume. The remainderflows back up through the said pipe H in the form of bubbles, taking acourse exactly opposite to the flow of liquid through the same. Thesebubbles pass up through the liquid in the gasolene-reservoir and expandinto the space X at the top of the same, a certain part of the vaporalso passing up into the air-chamber when its pressure becomes greatenough to overcome that of the air therein. The combined pressure of thevapor thus accumulating and the air previously compressed and suppliedas before stated aids gravity in forcing the liquid down through pipe H,and of course greatly accelerates the flow. The air-pump is used only instarting the iron, which at once becomes self feeding. Of course otherimfiammable and volatile liquid may be substituted for gasolene and thedetails of the device may be varied considerably without departing fromthe spirit and scope of myin- 5 vention.

The valve B when in its highest or closed position cuts off the flow ofair or vapor from the air-chamber or gasolene-reservoir to thepump-cylinder, or vice versa, but permits the flow in eitherdirectionbetween the air-chamber and said reservoir. This is the normal positionand arrangement of the device. When the pump is operated in starting,the air drawn into its cylinder through inlet y forces down said valve,but of course overcomes all tendency to overflow or leakage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is p 1. In combination with the jet-block andburner of a vapor-heated implement or article, a needle-valve workingthrough the said j et-block to control the jet, a helically-groovedfixed part, a cylinder or cap having a part that engages the helicalgroove, a lever provided with a ring that is clamped on said cylinderfor turning the same, the said cylinder being provided with akeyhole-slot for the attachment and detachment of the said needle-valveand the latter being constructed to move forward and backward with thesaid cylinder while in the narrow part of the slot but easilydisconnected from said cylinder through the broader part of said slotsubstantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a jet-block and burner, a need le-valve governingthe j et-hole in said block, a helically-grooved fixed sleeve, a rotarycap surrounding and protecting the said sleeve and valve, provided withan internal stud or projection engaging said groove and operating bysuch engagement and rotation to move the valve longitudinally out or inaccording to the direction of turning, a lever attached to said cap orcylinder and a fixed part arranged to stop the turning of said leverbeyond a certain point, the said valve being provided with two enlargedparts at or near its head and the said cap being provided with akeyhole-slot to receive the smaller intervening part of the valvesubstantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the jet-block and burner of a vapor-heatedarticle or implement, a needle-valve working through the said jet-blockto control the jet, and a rotary cap, engaging the said valve to providefor endwise motion when rotated and having a keyhole-slot in its outerend, the said needlevalve being provided with a head and fixed collarhaving a space between them approximately equal to the thickness of thehead of the said cap or cylinder in order that it may move in and outwith the said cap and be readily attached to or detached from the samesubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIS MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

LOUIS O. SOUTHARD, OTIS EDDY.

